The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 161: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138 REYNOLDS’ WORKS . promised. Let yourself out by the way that we came. For Heaven’s sake lose not an instant. Away with you! Get out of London, leave England at once — immediately.”’ These injunctions were issued in a low, hoarse, but hurried whisper, and hastening to unlock the door of the library, the duke pushed the Burker thence. The miscreant, judging by the weight and the feel of the purse that one end was heavy with gold and the other crammed with bank-notes, had no reason to tarry any longer, and he succeeded in effecting his exit from the premises without being observed by any of the dependents. The Duke of Marchmont was left alone with this lady who was unknown to him. He locked the door again, and ac- costing her with a countenance that was ghastly pale, and in a voice that was now hollow with deeply concentrated emo- tions in which horror was predominant, he said, ‘‘ Who are you, and how came you here? ”’ The lady, who was evidently much relieved by the disap- pearance of the Burker, and who was naturally of a coura- geous disposition, had by this time fully recovered her own presence of mind, and she said, ‘‘ My lord, you have nothing to fear. I know everything, I overheard everything, but let us at once understand each other,’’ and then bending her superb dark eyes significantly upon the duke’s countenance, she added, ‘‘ Your Grace can recompense me for keeping your secret.” , ‘““ Yes, yes,” he eagerly exclaimed, ‘‘ anything — every- thing! There is nothing you can ask which I will not grant.”’ ‘Good, my lord,’ she observed, “‘ I knew that we should understand each other. And now unlock that door, for one of your domestics knows that I am here, and he may happen to enter, or rather seek to enter, when it would appear strange to find that the door was secured.”’ The lady sat herself calmly down. The duke hastened to unlock the door, and then returning toward her, he also took a seat, anxiously awaiting whatsoever explanation she might have to give. Though still tortured with agonizing feelings, he nevertheless had now leisure to contemplate her more attentively than he had hitherto done. She was apparently about thirty years of age, of tall stature, and splendidly formed. Her countenance was handsome, her hair dark, her eyes, of corresponding hue, large and lustrous. Sensuousness ECORNICLIOOKS (E(0)